Get well soon, Tony

[NoChanceToDance]

From Racing Post........

by Turia Tellwright


CHAMPION jockey Tony McCoy was on Saturday night facing the prospect of a spell on the sidelines as he underwent x-rays after suffering a crashing fall aboard Arnold Layne in the totesport.com Classic Chase at Warwick.

Early reports suggested that McCoy may have damaged vertebrae and were the injuries to be confirmed he would be in danger of missing the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March.

It was at the track on New Year's Day that he rode his 150th winner at Cheltenham, a track where he won the Gold Cup on Mr Mulligan in 1997.

McCoy came to grief aboard the 3-1 favourite at the 14th fence and was later taken to a Coventry hospital for x-rays on his lower back.

The 12-time champion is this season well in the lead in his quest to retain the title, lying 56 winsclear of nearest rival Richard Johnson.

After McCoy left Warwick on his way to hospital, clerk of the course Fiona Needham said: "Tony is going for further assessment to his lower back.

"He is still on a stretcher, but is conscious and is talking."

Racegoers and television viewers watched as McCoy lay prone on the track and was quickly attended to by medical personnel. He was seen to be fitted with a neck brace before being carefully loaded into a waiting ambulance.
The 33-year-old is on Sunday booked for three rides at Leopardstown for his retainer JP McManus, Perce Rock in the Grade 2 novice chase, Wins Now in beginners' chase and King Johns Castle in Pierse Leopardstown Chase.

Discussions were taking place on Saturday nightabout replacements but of more concern for McManus would be a long-term absence for McCoy.

McManus will be expected to have a string of leading fancies for the Cheltenham Festival although he is not represented in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. McCoy is expected to team up once again with Sir Robert Ogden's Exotic Dancer who last season finished two and a half lengths runner-up to Kauto Star.

“The fall was bad enough, but he got a pretty good kicking as well and he's got a lot of pain from bothsides of his lower back,” Jonjo O'Neill told reporters at Warwick.

“However, he was moving his legs alright and he's so tough that you can guarantee that he won't be out of action for a second longer than necessary.”

* * *

UPDATE, also from Racing Post.....

by Turia Tellwright
.


DOCTORS on Sunday morning reported that they are "optimistic" that Tony McCoy will be back riding in time for the Cheltenham Festival in March despite suffering a fracture to his lower spine.

Gee Bradburne, PA to McCoy said that the champion was in a stable condition.

"He has fractured his T12 in his lower back but is stable and there is no neurological involvement," she said.

"He's hoping to be back in time for the Festival, and the doctors' prognosis is good.

"They say he might be out for six weeks, but we really don't know at this stage."

McCoy is expected to ride Exotic Dancer in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in nine weeks' time, and Bradburne believes the thought of the Festival will spur on his recovery.

"He's in good spirits this morning but he's pretty uncomfortable," she added of the 12-times champion, who is in University Hospital Walsgrave in Coventry.

"The fact the doctors are quite optimistic about him making the Festival is lifting him, I think."

[my miss storm cat]

Is Arnold Layne okay?

Love that name... early Floyd.

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Is Arnold Layne okay?

Love that name... early Floyd.

The horse got up fine, he's probably a bit stiff and sore, but other than that I imagine he will be fine. When he got up he gave Tony a bit of a kicking, which didn't help matters.

[brockguy]

a fair few took tumbles today at Leopardstown, notably David Casey McCoy's replacement on Perce Rock who took an appaling looking fall at the last. Hope they all get well soon....

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by brockguy

a fair few took tumbles today at Leopardstown, notably David Casey McCoy's replacement on Perce Rock who took an appaling looking fall at the last. Hope they all get well soon....

Yeah, I saw the Casey fall, that was awful. He was knocked out, and even if he suffered no injuries, doesn't that rule him out for 21 days under the current medical rulings?

He has had some rotten luck in the last couple of years.

Ironic that he only got the ride today because of McCoy's injury on Saturday.

No jockey can be more unlucky than Barry Fenton, though. Did you see the picture in the Racing Post about a month ago? Showing the bones he has broken, fractured and smashed. He is lucky to be alive. I don't think there are many parts of his body that AREN'T being held together by steel plates and screws.

Rather like a friend of mine, Elliott Cooper who suffered that horror fall at Cheltenham a few years ago. I won't go into the surgery he had to go through.